Temple Visits

[Fireside_Hindu]

So... an exciting thing happened to me at temple this morning. I went in with fruit and flowers like normal. It was my first visit since returning from india and the priest that seems to really like me was there. I had not seen him for a while so we chatted for a bit. There was no one else there. Finally he asks me "did you want anything special today?" and before i could stop myself I said " well I've always wanted to do archana but-"(i was going to say i didnt know my gotra etc)
"Oh fine! Ill be right back."he says before i can finish.

Now thank Devi i had cash On me that day. (I almost never carry cash) unfortunately i had enough for the Archana but only $3 left for the priest after. I felt terrible even though he seemed completly unconcerned.
I knew what to do from observing others before but when it came to my gotra i could only shrug. He gave me Ram gotra (its a rama temple) and that made me happy.

So i took my first archana today! As a side note to our mango thread prasad after the archana was a mango =)

Again i feel bad that i had so little money for the priest as be has always made me feel welcome. Maybe next time i will remember to bring extra.

 

[Shantanu]

Please tell me the process and significance of archana - I know nothing about it.

 

[NurseGuy]

Yes I'd love to know what exactly to "do" in an archana! I went to the temple as well for abhishekam, and walked around, observed others, etc., but I hesitated with the archana because I wasn't really sure if I'd have to say or do anything (besides telling the priest my name and nakshatra, though it sounds like you do this during the actual archana?). Oh and you give money to the priest outside of the archana fee?

Thanks!

 

[Poeticus]

I knew what to do from observing others before but when it came to my gotra i could only shrug. He gave me Ram gotra (its a rama temple) and that made me happy.

That is because the dhvaja of Lord Shri Ram is ever-welcoming. Ram! Jai Jai Ram!

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And look! Here is Lord Shri Ram being intrigued out of boredom by something pointed out by, I presume, Lord Shri Hanuman:

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Isn't he just the greatest?!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Yes I'd love to know what exactly to "do" in an archana! I went to the temple as well for abhishekam, and walked around, observed others, etc., but I hesitated with the archana because I wasn't really sure if I'd have to say or do anything (besides telling the priest my name and nakshatra, though it sounds like you do this during the actual archana?). Oh and you give money to the priest outside of the archana fee?

Thanks!

Well i was prepared with my nakshatra but he did not ask me for it. Maybe he assumed i did not know it because i did not have a gotra.
Some temples do it differently but in general you can approach the priest or pay for the archana at the office. Say you'd like to do archana. Sometimes you can ask for archana for a specific deity (ie. For your prayers to be specifically aimed at narayan or shiva.) My priest gave me Ram archana because i think that was the default at this temple.
Basically an archana is a specific prayer from you to god guided by the priest. You bring flowers and fruit or sometimes you buy them at temple with the archana. The priest will hold out a tray or bowl with these and sometimes kum kum and rice. He will give you tilak or indicate you should take it yourself. Then you rest your fingers on the lip of the bowl as he starts chanting. He will pause and ask you for your name,nakshatra, and gotra. If you dont know it I believe the custom is to give you the gotra of the deity of your choice or whichever deity is the presiding deity of the temple. After the priest offers the lamp says the 108 names of the chosen deity and then its over. You are given prasad.

As for money i was always under the impression one is supposed to give a small payment to the priest based on the service but i dont really know how it works yet. It isn't a requirement but it is polite to do.

 

[Vinayaka]

Wow. I went to temple this morning too.

Yes, dakshina (a small monetary gift just for the priest) is the custom. Not everyone knows about it though, and the priests generally have a very nonchalant attitude about it. For much larger ceremonies, (like a wedding) a tray of vegetables, new shirt, new veshti, maybe even a sari for his wife, are the custom.

 

[Maya3]

Here I am debating with myself if I should go tonight. Now I feel inspired.

As far as I know the fees are if you want to sponsor something specific, then you ask to pay the suggested amount, but this is not a requirement.

I was confused the first time I saw the list of sponsorships, I thought first that you had to pay.
I have asked for prayers without having flowers or anything to offer, the priest is always happy to do so, and then I put something in the donation box after the puja.


Maya

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Here I am debating with myself if I should go tonight. Now I feel inspired.

As far as I know the fees are if you want to sponsor something specific, then you ask to pay the suggested amount, but this is not a requirement.

I was confused the first time I saw the list of sponsorships, I thought first that you had to pay.
I have asked for prayers without having flowers or anything to offer, the priest is always happy to do so, and then I put something in the donation box after the puja.


Maya

It seems like it's a little different everywhere you go. I've seen people give dakshina for only larger ceremonies like namakarana or weddings - sometimes private abhishekham. But I have seen people hand the priest money after archana too, so I don't know. I'm glad I had something to give even if it wasn't enough. But now that I've done it once I feel like a wall has come down. I was so paranoid about asking for one. I was afraid I would be turned away for not having a gotram or not knowing the sequence of the prayer so I could reply on cue, but now that I've done it once with a very open minded and accepting priest I feel more at ease about doing it again in the future.

 

[Vinayaka]

At temples where you purchase an archana ticket, generally the request for information is on the ticket. Many people buy archanas in absentia.

 

[Maya3]

I did go to tonight and it was really lovely as usual. I just have to actually go, I usually talk myself out of it because I tell myself it is too far (which it isn´t)

Fireside, so glad you had a good experience and feel that you can do it again.

Maya

 

[Aupmanyav]

We do not have these archana tickets in North India. It is a South Indian phenomenon. In North, what you leave in the platter is for the priest or a group of priests (whatever), what you put in the donation box is for the management, they use it to improve the temple or pay to the priest (whatever). If we ask for abhishekam or a special puja at the temple or at home, we discuss it with the priest and he mentions the amount for his labor.

 

[Vinayaka]

We do not have these archana tickets in North India. It is a South Indian phenomenon. In North, what you leave in the platter is for the priest or a group of priests (whatever), what you put in the donation box is for the management, they use it to improve the temple or pay to the priest (whatever). If we ask for abhishekam or a special puja at the temple or at home, we discuss it with the priest and he mentions the amount for his labor.

One of many differences ... I think sometimes we underestimate this, due to our own familiarity, or 'bias'. And hence it can get confusing to a newcomer, especially trying to describe to him/her a 'typical' temple experience, since there is no such thing. I think I'm going to start recommending everyone goes to two temples instead of one.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I think I'm going to start recommending everyone goes to two temples instead of one.

I think that's a good idea- although most people in North America are lucky if the live close enough to even one temple. Still, I can see it changing. Maybe that's because I'm paying attention now, but I feel like at least one new temple is springing up in a US city each year.

 

[Vinayaka]

Only one? I think it's more like 20-30. I've heard counts as high as a thousand total now in America. That's just in the last 40 years, so even that's 25 a year. Last Sunday Boss and I went for a drive through a neighbourhood in our city we rarely go to, and drove past a house that had the flags out, a large AUM on the door, and a Hanuman shrine on the front lawn. We didn't get out and look at the sign on the front door, but it sure appeared to be a house style temple from the outside. Maybe in a few years the people there will buy some land. So there is stuff like that all over. Then we drove past our first rental house, a place where we stayed for 3 months when we first married, just for nostalgia sakes, and we were in the neighbourhood. The former church had been converted into a Buddhist temple.

I've met a person here who wants to build a Kali temple ... not sure how it's going for her, but she is a doctor, and last time I talked to her, was quite keen still. Another entire group, somewhat dissatisfied with the current temples in our city, none of them really meeting their individual needs, could, if they wanted to. Certainly I encourage it with them. They'd be happier. Much like the forum business on line ... Don't like it, go build your own.

So ... the times they are a-changing. One rich family can do it.

 

[Vinayaka]

Boss was telling me about her visit last night. ... About 50 people, 2 ladies tieing garlands the traditional way, 5 sponsors of abhishekhams, one sponsor of the sandalwood abhishekam (they leave Ganesha covered in sandalwood, always looks very beautiful) .... lots of little cute kids. Who needs India when we have this?

Some days I can't believe how lucky we are. I can get to 'India' in 10 minutes.

 

[Vinayaka]

This morning, Monday, I had the luck to witness two annaprasana samskaras. They're always fun, and the priest seems to enjoy it a lot. Both families had extended groups in attendance, but only uncles and aunties. Sadly, no grandparents. Still, whatever family can attend does attend. There are often financial reasons, but he bottom line is that this kind of mass migration will break up extended families. Both kids were nibblers, not chompers. The chompers are more fun to watch.

I have one friend who went home (to Madurai) just to be the uncle at a ceremony of one of his nieces. He left here on Friday, and was back on Tuesday. Talk about a weekend full of travelling!

 

[Aupmanyav]

USD 1,000 round trip + expenses.

 

[Vinayaka]

Generally a bit more than that, Aup, unless you find a really decent seat sale. This friend is the same one that prayed for a new job at Palani, and within ten minutes got two overseas job offers. So he's well connected. Probably a millionaire by now. He may have flown there on a peacock, I don't know.

 

[La_Sonadora]

Greetings everyone,

I was curious if anyone has ever visited the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam in Rush, New York.

 

[Vinayaka]

Greetings everyone,

I was curious if anyone has ever visited the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam in Rush, New York.

I personally haven't but I have a Tamil friend who has. He told me about it, and had nothing but praise.